title: A parasomnia overlap disorder involving sleepwalking, sleep terrors, and REM sleep behavior disorder in 33 polysomnographically confirmed cases.
abstract: A series of 33 patients with combined (injurious) sleepwalking, sleep terrors, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (viz. "parasomnia overlap disorder") was gathered over an 8-year period. Patients underwent clinical and polysomnographic evaluations. Mean age was 34 +/- 14 (SD) years; mean age of parasomnia onset was 15 +/- 16 years (range 1-66); 70% (n = 23) were males. An idiopathic subgroup (n = 22) had a significantly earlier mean age of parasomnia onset (9 +/- 7 years) than a symptomatic subgroup (n = 11) (27 +/- 23 years, p = 0.002), whose parasomnia began with either of the following: neurologic disorders, n = 6 [congenital Mobius syndrome, narcolepsy, multiple sclerosis, brain tumor (and treatment), brain trauma, indeterminate disorder (exaggerated startle response/atypical cataplexy)]; nocturnal paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, n = 1; posttraumatic stress disorder/major depression, n = 1; chronic ethanol/amphetamine abuse and withdrawal, n = 1; or mixed disorders (schizophrenia, brain trauma, substance abuse), n = 2. The rate of DSM-III-R (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 3rd edition, revised) Axis 1 psychiatric disorders was not elevated; group scores on various psychometric tests were not elevated. Forty-five percent (n = 15) had previously received psychologic or psychiatric therapy for their parasomnia, without benefit. Treatment outcome was available for n = 20 patients; 90% (n = 18) had substantial parasomnia control with bedtime clonazepam (n = 13), alprazolam and/or carbamazepine (n = 4), or self-hypnosis (n = 1). Thus, "parasomnia overlap disorder" is a treatable condition that emerges in various clinical settings and can be understood within the context of current knowledge on parasomnias and motor control/dyscontrol during sleep.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 55415, USA.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Schenck
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Boyd
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Mahowald
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008950:MMPI; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000379:methods*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012895:Sleep, REM